The Great Convergence Fizzle

The September 2015 issue of Charisma magazine featured stories on its cover about Bible prophecy. Collectively, they were billed as “The Great Convergence.”

I was glad to see a major Christian magazine feature Bible prophecy on its cover. Unfortunately, most of the articles in the magazine were devoted to sensationalist nonsense like the Blood Moons, the Shemitah, and Newton’s Riddle. These articles reflect a type of prophetic fanaticism that gives the whole field of eschatology a bad reputation.

The Blood Moon Theory pointed to September 28 as a crucial date. The Shemitah Theory singled out September 23. And Newton’s Riddle also focused on September 23. Thus, the “convergence” featured on the magazine’s cover.

All of this proved to be “much ado about nothing.”

That was no surprise to me because it was all based on human speculations rather than biblical prophecies.

Take the Blood Moons for example. In an article we published in the Lamplighter issue of March-April 2014, I concluded that the whole Blood Moon Theory was devoid of any factual basis. The author of the theory, Mark Biltz, pointed out that four blood moons in a row over a two year period of time (called a tetrad) is a very rare phenomenon which has occurred only 87 times since the time of Christ. Even rarer is when these four blood moons fall on Jewish feast days. That has happened only eight times since the First Century.

Biltz claimed that the last three of the feast tetrads had served as omens of major events among the Jewish people, and therefore he concluded that the next one, scheduled for 2014-2015, would serve as a warning of a major event in Israel.

Now stop and think about this for a moment. The first five feast tetrads had no prophetic significance whatsoever. And what the proponents of the theory conveniently overlooked is that two of the last three really had no significance as omens of anything. The one that occurred in 1493-1494 came after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, and the one in 1949-1950 also came after the re-establishment of Israel in 1948.

That leaves only the feast tetrad of 1967-1968 as having any significance since the Six Day War began and ended after the first blood moon in that sequence.

So, in fact, only one out of eight feast tetrads have had any prophetic significance. That’s not a good track record. And keep in mind that when you say “something important is going to happen” in Israel during any two year period of time, you are not going out on much of a limb. Nor is it true prophecy to speak so vaguely. The prophecies contained in the Bible are very specific and precise.

And then there is the ridiculous “prophecy” called Newton’s Riddle. Sir Isaac Newton, the great 17th Century scientist, interpreted Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 Weeks of Years (Daniel 9:25-27) to mean that the Tribulation would begin 49 prophetic years (360 day years) after Jerusalem is re-established as the capital of Israel. That occurred on June 7, 1967, and 17,640 days later (49 years x 360 day years) would be September 23, 2015, the Day of Atonement.

The problem is that Newton’s interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy completely scrambles it. Daniel speaks of seven weeks of years (49 years) followed by 62 weeks of years (483 years) followed by one week of years (7 years). To come up with his calculation, Newton decided to place the 49 years after the 483 years when there is absolutely no contextual justification for doing so.

That leaves us with Jonathan Cahn’s Shemitah Theory for the crash of the American economy on September 23. As I pointed out in an article in the January-February 2015 issue of the Lamplighter, Cahn’s first error was to take a law given to Israel only (Leviticus 25:20-21) and apply it to a Gentile nation. His second error was his arbitrary decision to start his count of Shemitah years in 1917 when the Balfour Declaration was issued rather than 1948 when the nation of Israel was re-established.

He obviously chose 1917 because it enabled him to place the Shemitah years at a couple of times when the stock market crashed. In other words, his calculation of Shemitah years is manipulated. Further, one of the Chief Rabbis of Israel has declared that the Shemitah law will not even start applying to Israel again until more than half of the world’s Jews have returned to that nation.

The lesson from all this is that we need to focus our attention on the end time prophecies of the Bible and not on the fanciful speculations of men.

Dr. David Reagan

Dr. David Reagan serves as the Founder and Director of Lamb & Lion Ministries. He is a life-long Bible student, teacher, and preacher whose sermons have been distributed worldwide and has led 45 pilgrimages to Israel. Dr. Reagan is the host of the television program Christ in Prophecy.

3 points from me – i have a lot of time for you dr reagan but you seem to have distanced yourself from the rabbi & thrown him under a bus – even though you supported him as a prophet- the other thing is once there is a date given i dont think God will ever let any one just guess when something is going to happen-finally there is a new intifada in Israel so you could say that something did happen after the blood moon which seems to be more in tune with what normally seems to happen after a blood moon GBY

I rarely leave comments, but feel compelled to respond. As a Christian, my manner will be polite and cordial. I have to admit that I feel victim to this sensationalism which distracted me from completing certain tasks. I believe this is what the enemy wants. He'll use our "good" intentions just as well as our bad ones.

Now September has pasted, many non-believers are left shaking their heads at Christians lack of due diligence in knowing their own scripture. Let us move forward with a commitment to "study to shew thy self approved."

I wouldn't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater, Sir. There are many signs indicating something nasty is about to break loose both here in the USA and in Israel. And we are on the cusp of a world-wide economic crash as well, according to many so-called "experts." My philosophy on this is: The blood moons are a fairly rare event. Our world has changed dramatically in the past 7 years, a very swift change in all areas of life. Our nation is unrecognizable to many of us. The world is on the verge of another world war. Our nation has been invaded by our enemies. New diseases are rising along with the resurrection of diseases once thought conquered. To me is sure sounds like something is about to break loose. As for these prophets, I would not judge them or their motives. I think we are all in for big trouble any time now.

Dr. Reagan, I too am surprised at your comments about Jonathan Cahn, since I watched you interview him on your program and never said anything about him manipulating dates. Rabbi Cahn has always said before he said anything that you can't put God in a box or he will get out of it! And he said that there was an effect on the stock market, it was just different than the last 2. I wholeheartedly agree with Rabbi Cahn that we are going to experience a great shaking/judgement soon, and that the world's financial system will crash, including ours. It is not the unbelievers but the believers that God says "If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." I believe God won't wink at the atrocious things going on in our landwithout sending severe judgement, since the church and leaders haven't responded to Him in humility and repentance. I continue to pray for salvation for the lost and awakening for God's people and protection for protection for those God is speaking through, but I am pretty sure we have gone too far. I am looking for the soon coming of the Lord for His bride.

Lamb & Lion Ministries supported Rabbi Cahn where he was correctly biblically and disagreed publicly with him where he went extra-biblical. Our "Christ in Prophecy" interview with Rabbi Cahn on the Shemitah is posted here and the article by Dr. Reagan about Cahn's call to repentance for America here.

Plenty happened after the blood moon. The Pope in Washington and the UN, with our pop star president announcing the 2030 agenda with pomp and circumstance, they looked like the antichrist and his false prophet. The new world order is no longer a secret,they are moving fast, and proud of it !

As a preacher told me when I told him there was no person or spirit as Lucifer, prophecy teachers should have consulted you before they wrote their books and made DVDs. It good to know the one that know all that we can call on. I have hear Rabbi Cahn, Mark Biltz and others say many time they are not predicting or setting dates but as they see events these things could happen. I hope both of these men see this article and respond. I listened to your program Oct 27 andmuch of what you said was good. As for those who teach prophecy likeChuck Misler, Perry Stone, Tom Ice, Hilton Sutton, Irvin Baxter, Bill Cloud, Bill Salus (Sp), and I could name others what they aresaying is their understanding and is NOT, TO BE TAKEN AS FACT!!!!.It is so easy to rant and rave after the time that has been mentioned by these people. Again it is great to have one who knows it all. Doubt if you know the Biblical reason for the Baptism of Jesus as it is rare to meet a preacher or Christian that has a clue.I am 85 so I am not someone who fell off a turnip truck.John Shore

I was saying this all along. Amen that others saw the same! The Bible in its exactness is all we need. Too much emphasis on traditions, commentaries, and man's philosophies. If we let the Bible say what it says, and use the rules of interpretation, we'll get it right. The moon will not turn to blood prophetically until after the tribulation has begun! Jl.2:31, repeated by Peter in Acts 2:20, Mt. 24:29, Rev. 6:12.

Sir, I am surprised by your scoffing 2 Peter 3:3 attitude "knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery." I believe Jesus would be saying to you to "get thee behind me, Satan." You are quick to denigrate those whom you once supported and oh-so-quickly, since it is not even a month past the September in question. I am saddened by your rush to judgement, throwing your full weight onto thenaysayers wagon. There have been many, many critical developments that have transpired in the last few months that have surely advanced the cause of the antichrist, the one world government, the imminent Psalm 83 conflict, etc., etc., etc. You are wrong in your assessment of Cahn and Biltz. May the Lord forgive you for your scoffing and mocking of His servants.

Others have attacked Rabbi Cahn because they argue that he has taken a scripture directed to ancient Israel (Isaiah 9:10) and has applied it to the United States. Again, I ask, “What is wrong with that?” If the scripture is applicable, why not apply it to our nation? – David Reagan May-June 2013

Follow Us

Get the App

About Ministry

Lamb & Lion Ministries was established for the purpose of proclaiming the soon return of Jesus. We do not believe it is possible to know the date when Jesus will return. But we do believe it is possible to know the season of the Lord's return, and it is our conviction that we are living in that season...